Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Under the Rainbow

I'm just about back to full strength this week, after a double whammy of a late spring cold and pesky infection that gave it all to TKO the big guy. However, I'm a damn trooper that just will not give in to being "sick" when I've got things to do. My long time companion gets pretty testy with me as I keep the fires burning during my health ordeals. He's of the call 911 mindset and I'm all about what's in the medicine cabinet. Yet, some how we both survive and those that know me, really know me, understand that I'm gonna keep swinging until there's no swing left. Therefore, let's swing out sister with the latest from the the SGL community and beyond....

OH LRCP!: If you've been following this forum and I know you have, this platform has posted items concerning Little Rock Capitol Pride during it's brief existence, always open for response or rebuttal. In the past we've been taken task for "airing" dirty laundry, decisiveness, and down right hate mongering from their then supporters and those who are no fans of COP:24/7. In a brief online statement, the group cited that "circumstances" caused the cancellation of the proposed River market event. However, I kept pondering what "circumstances?" So I did what all you wanted me to do and went asking. Although Ms. Chagoya, LRCP President signed off on that statement, I discovered that board members saw the entire affair differently. It seems that there was a laundry list of problems from the beginning which resulted in a total melt down. First up, a lack of committed motivation of committee members who perhaps were on board with the "idea" of producing a pride event but overwhelmed when it came to putting the shoulder to the grindstone. Secondly, the fundraising aspect of a NPO is daunting even for the experts, and if there's no well oiled machine in place it's damn near impossible to gather the cash needed. According to their internal financial guru, " there was simply no feasible way to put on the festival with the cash we had on hand." The group had done a few funders around town, only amassing about $1500 and "I couldn't find any sponsors that wanted to underwrite," they concluded. After it was decided that the event wouldn't be held, allegedly deposits on planned items (i.e. portapotty's, etc.) needed cancelling and other financial matters were is disarray. Thirdly, I surmised that at the core of this debacle was just plain old lack of visionary planning and a leadership vacuum which added to the pulling the plug. Recently, Miss C stated that LRCP wasn't interested in participating in the pride picnic, but presented a film presentation and would promote other activities on it's website. In the meantime, it's all so sad that once again, "circumstances" has infected yet another local entity most likely on it's way to the bone yard of community groups such as Positive Voices, G&L Task Force, Arkansas Equality Network and so forth and so on.

FED Up Q: There it is was, a blurb from another local group forming and plotting their course of actions. Who is it this time?, well it's FedUpQueers. Which in a brief dust up last Friday night (6.5.09) in the DBS complex area they stirred up the ire of businessman, NK while distributing flyer's as apart of their "Just say No to Norman," campaign. What's this all about? According to their new web outpost, http://www.fedupqueers.wordpress.com/ , this effort is all about "Queer liberation vs. Queer Consumerism. The FED Up 5, state that the entertainment complex is a "warehouse of exploitation," and has it's own laundry list of items that support their position. Are these folks serious? If I recall, all of this muttering is nothing new. I respect their right to voice their opinion, however, I find it curious that while I'm out and about, not necesarily in gay bars either, I see many and I do mean many Queer as Folk sporting the latest I-Pods, designer eye wear, sport cars, SUV's, and luxury cars and above all CASH. I've seen the extremely fashionable homes of some and others with Lofts, Condo's, and MacMasions with pools. I've not detected that this set is interested in the difference of Queer anything except whether it's Egyptian cotton or domestic. Is this problematic? Could be depending on how you spin it. We live in America, where our capitalistic system has ebbed and flowed for the last 200 some years, often not serving the masses or the oppressed. No one man is not the sum total of issues that affect this community. The last time I looked "people" have the ability to "choose" where they spend their dollars, or find value for them. If the 18+ have a problem with paying 15 bucks, then don't do so. If anyone doesn't care for the house rules or management mindset of that establishment, then stay the hell out. If this community needs venues or outlets that are more responsive, then seek them out. What about the DSRA clubhouse, it sits idle almost 6 days a week. Sound pretty simple to me. In the meantime hit me up on this site, I've got a great idea for a party and maybe a party spot to do so. Oh yeah, maybe we can do for half price, which still means CASH will be involved.

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